Of exhaustion and massages
by Chrisii
Summary: After a particularly tough week, Kirk seriously needs to unwind and sleep, and there is no better way to relax than a massage. Of course, Bones is always right there to help him out. NON-SLASH. Features friendship, fluff, and a lot of bromance.


It had been a tough week. Sure, they had expected it with their five year mission into deep space, but in times like this, it still got to everybody. They had just completed yet another assignment, and it had visibly taken a lot of energy from the whole crew. Of course, delicate diplomatic missions were always stressful, but when the landing party had been attacked and Chekov was taken, it was suddenly a lot more personal.

Of course, Kirk had worked his ass off, scheduling meetings and talks with the mayor of the planet to gather information on the whereabouts of their Russian friend, and after five dreadful days, their youngest had been returned in one piece. Turned out the inhabitants had thought that they were invaders, and were fully prepared to use Chekov as a bargaining chip to protect their planet. Well, at least they were open to join Starfleet and all in all the mission was a success, but no one could say they weren't shaken, especially when Chekov, face full with tears of relief, clung to Kirk and Sulu for the better part of an hour after being rescued, refusing to settle down and rest even if McCoy was very close to sedating him into oblivion.

He had dozed off after that, and Sulu managed to untangle himself, but Kirk was stuck beneath the younger, who even though deeply unconscious, still had Jim's golden shirt in his fist. Well, not like Kirk was going to move from this position, even if his back protested harshly, and the edge of something metal dug relentlessly into his head. Chekov needed his rest, and Kirk would willingly stay there for hours if it meant helping the youngest come back from the terrible ordeal.

If anyone noticed that Kirk willingly spent 2 more days in the sick bay, nobody commented on it.

* * *

Rubbing the back of his aching head, Kirk still wondered how Starfleet would benefit from recruiting these type of planets. The shift had ended a little over two hours ago, and while everyone was surely sleeping, he was almost bent double over blank reports, attempting to gather his focus enough to actually finish writing them. At least he had gotten rid of the tight uniform, now clad only in a pair of baggy sweatpants and a hoodie.

For once in his life, Kirk was finding every single thing distractive.

His whole body ached, stiffness settling in every bone and muscle and making his movements look odd. His chair creaked whenever he tried to find a comfortable position, and his back ached whether he was bending down or sitting straight up. The gentle hum of the engine was drilling into his brain instead of soothing him like usual, and the words continuously swam even as he struggled to piece together a coherent sentence. Logically, he knew both his body and mind were exhausted and he desperately needed sleep, but the irrational part of Jim demanded him to finish the reports first, and like usual, he ignored his body's needs over something as mundane as paperwork. He groaned in frustration, automatically rubbing his eyes before there was a sudden weight on his shoulder, and he immediately shot to his feet, ignoring his body's protests as he looked wildly around to spot the intruder.

"For God's sake Jim, sit down before you pass out." Bones' grouchy voice penetrated through the fog of his brain, and Kirk frowned at himself for startling so bad.  
"What are you doing here Bones? Thought you'd be asleep by now." Jim shrugged, sitting back down on the chair as he turned his back to his best friend.  
"You should be asleep as well, and apparently I have to make sure you do so! God damn it Jim, when are you going to start taking care of yourself?" After the mini outburst, Bones' eyes softened, a clinical eye running over Jim's hunched form and the way too messy blond hair.  
"I have to finish these reports Bones." Even as he uttered the words, Kirk knew it was a pretty petty excuse, and would surely not work.  
"You can finish them later." McCoy was not going to give up, and Jim soon felt his friend's hand on his shoulder again, gently pulling him from the chair.  
"Who knows what can come up later? Knowing us we'd be in the middle of a war." Kirk couldn't help but snap, but his momentarily anger was quickly smothered as he rubbed a hand over his weary face.  
"Maybe, but you won't do anything in the middle of a war exhausted as you are. Take the time to unwind kid, I can see you're stiff as a board from way over here." Bones gently tugged on Kirk's hoodie again, this time managing to stir the headstrong captain to the bed and letting him collapse face first in the soft cushions.

A groan rumbled from the pillow, and Bones couldn't help his snort as the captain winced, attempting to find a comfortable position. With the tension in his muscles, Bones doubted he could ever do it.

"Come on kid, remove that hoodie." He pulled at the captain once again, feeling bad but knowing he had to do it.  
"I'm not hot." The mumbled response came a few seconds later, and Bones chuckled.  
"I think many ladies would beg to differ. Now remove it so I can massage the tension out of you." Although he was still joking, there was no room to argue in Bones' tone. Of course, Kirk always found a shady corner.  
"I don't want a massage Bones, I'm fine, lemme sleep." The words, spoken mostly into the pillow, were muffled, but the good doctor still got the gist of it.  
"Sure you are, come on, or I'll cut that hoodie off." Bones rose an eyebrow when Kirk mock glared at him.  
"I love this hoodie, you wouldn't dare do anything to it." There was a childish type of conviction to it, and Bones couldn't help but sigh at his captain.  
"Sure I won't." Kirk groaned at the sarcasm that clearly laced the doctor's words, shifting slowly as he sat up again.  
"You're a demanding asshole, you know?" The hoodie was thrown across the room, landing on a chair on the opposite side. "I would have preferred dinner before getting me naked, you feel me?"  
"Shut up Jim. The pants stay on at all time." Even though he was frowning, Jim's answering chuckle automatically made him smile.  
"Oh fuck." Kirk couldn't help but groan once Bones settled his hands on the captain's rigid back, frowning as he felt the stiffness even though he was prepared for it.

"I'm going to spread some oil to make this easier, okay?" Bones decided to keep a monologue up as he spread the oil on his hands before climbing on the bed and throwing a leg on each side of Kirk, straddling his hips to get a good position. The captain only grunted in reply, long since used to their closeness. Bones spread his hands on Jim's exposed back, making sure to reach the neck and shoulders before sliding back down gently, making sure that Kirk's muscles warmed up before he actually started. For Kirk's part, only appreciative sighs left his mouth, along with an occasional groan or grunt as the pressure made his muscles ache even more for a few brief seconds. "I'm gonna start kneading now, this might hurt at first, okay kid?" Even as he spoke Bones increased his pressure, starting from the captain's waist and slowly making his way upwards, the task taking long as he felt the many bunched up muscles underneath his hands. The room was quiet, except for Kirk's deep breathing, slightly hitched every now and then when Bones kneaded a particularly hard bunch. The doctor was gentle, he really was. He had gone over Kirk's back at least 3 times, making sure to knead out as much tension as he could, and he could already feel the captain relaxing underneath his hands. However, although Kirk's eyes were closed, he could tell that the captain was not asleep, just a bit zoned out.

As the massage progressed, Bones found himself humming a tuneless melody, filling the empty silence that surrounded them in a thick cloud. Kirk was thoroughly melted beneath his hands, the tension practically gone. Once he was done, Bones gently slipped off the bed, padding to the bathroom to wash his hands from the oil that still coated them. He was about to leave when Kirk's voice floated through the air.

"Stay." The one word was slurred with exhaustion, but Bones understood it nonetheless. He smiled before walking to the bed again, sitting near Kirk's head as he ran his hand through the blond strands. Kirk purred silently, eyes fluttering slightly before he settled down again. Bones could tell the second that sleep claimed his captain. The blond seemed to sink further into the blankets, his breath evening out completely. With a small smile, Bones slipped off the bed, only to grab a sheet and spread it on his captain before reclaiming his seat. Kirk seemed to sense him, one arm reaching out to clasp the doctor's free wrist in a loose grip, just enough to make sure he was still there. McCoy couldn't help the small smile.

He knew how much it took James T. Kirk to trust a person, and for him to trust McCoy as much as to sleep with the doctor practically in the same bed, it spoke levels to the Georgian. Chekov's abduction had hit all of them, but Bones could see that Jim had taken it the hardest, his sibling bond with the little Russian making him worry relentlessly until Chekov was back, safe and sound with only a few scratches and shock that marked his ordeal. It had taken a toll on the doctor as well, but he was dead set on ignoring the exhaustion that crept into his bones if it meant keeping an eye on his weary captain, even though no intruders could make it aboard the ship at the moment.

He also couldn't help the amusement. This was one of the many rare moments where he had helped his friend without the use of any hypos. Sure, he had brought a few with him in case Kirk decided to be a stubborn ass, but for now, he was content with an un-drugged captain sleeping peacefully right next to him.

Because God knows, James Tiberius Kirk needed his rest more than ever.

* * *

It was late in the morning when Jim's eyes fluttered open. He felt oddly relaxed, and relished the comfort of the mattress underneath him before he became aware of another person breathing next to him. Feeling an odd sort of awkwardness, he gently turned to look behind him, only to see Bones, still half propped against the head of the bed, snoring lowly because of the odd position he was in. Recalling the events of last night, even if they were hazy, Kirk couldn't help but smile at his best friend before he slowly rolled out of bed.

The warm water pelting on his back was more than welcome, and Jim took his sweet time in the shower, enjoying the relaxation that came with it before he had to go and captain a star ship again. The last few days had been more than stressful, and he relished those quiet moments, even if they were small and far in-between. He had been more than scared of losing the young Russian, and he seriously needed to unwind a bit without drinking himself into oblivion, so when the doctor had come with an offer to massage him... Well, Kirk was not about to say no.

As he dried off, it came to his mind that he had not gotten a uniform, and with a small huff, he wrapped the towel around his hip and quietly padded out, only to come face to face with a grumpy doctor nursing a cup of coffee. There was a stack of clothes on the made bed, and Kirk smirked with amusement at how much his friend actually knew him. There was a faint smell of cleanliness in the air, and Jim suddenly noticed that McCoy was dressed in a new uniform, and his hair was somewhat neat.

Just how much time had he spent in the shower?

"About 45 minutes. You take longer than my damned ex-wife." McCoy's answer cut through the silent of the room, and Kirk almost tripped in the pants he was attempting to wear. "And yes, you were thinking out loud."

"I haven't washed properly in a week Bones, let me be." Kirk's response was muffled by the shirt he was getting over his head.  
"You know we've got to talk, don't you?"  
"About what?"  
"You and your tendency to work yourself to exhaustion."  
"I'm fine Bones."  
"Now maybe, you were barely coherent yesterday!"  
"You know what happened Bones. I had a reason for being so exhausted."  
"So why did you stay up trying to finish reports?"  
"Someone has to do them."  
"Yeah, when that someone is not in danger of keeling over!" Bones' voice rose a bit, and Kirk noticed that the doctor was a bit red in the face, his temper almost already lost even if it was still early.  
"They'll just pile up, I got a chance and I took it."  
"You were almost drooling over the pad when I arrived Jim."  
"No, I wasn't!"  
"Oh yeah, do I need to show you pictures?" There was a teasing note now, no more anger.  
"As if you'd take pictures, you were probably looking for a chance to hypo me into oblivion."  
"You know contrary to your belief I don't enjoy hypoing you."

Kirk gave him a deadpan look.

"Okay maybe sometimes." A smirk pulled at the doctor's features, and Jim couldn't help but roll his eyes.  
"Just sometimes?"  
"Don't push it kid." McCoy shrugged and stood up, depositing the now empty mug in the sink.  
"Sure, leave that for me to wash." Kirk threw a hand over his chest in mock-offence, knowing his dramatics grit on the doctor's nerves.  
"It's too early Kirk."  
"Or you're just too grouchy." The blue eyes sparkled then, and McCoy was secretly glad. It was a better sight then the dulled over, exhausted, glazy blue he had gazed into last night.  
"Shouldn't you be sitting on the bridge?"  
"Shouldn't you be in med bay?" There was a snarky tone in Kirk's voice, and Bones couldn't help but snort.  
"I'm going, hope I don't see you there." Bones shook his head as they boarded the turbo lift.

"Well, I would have preferred seeing a young woman this morning in my quarters, but we don't always get what we wish for, do we bonesy?" Whistling a random tune, Kirk literally hopped off the lift and to his beloved chair, almost caressing its arm rest before plopping down on it; elegantly of course. Bones couldn't help but chuckle softly at the young captain before heading to med bay, a spring to his step despite the fact that he was only looking forward to reports and hopefully minor injuries. Knowing his captain, he would find a way to majorly injure himself even on the ship.

However, one can hope, right?

* * *

 **Hi guys, this was an ever so random one shot my friend and I came up with and she demanded I write it into an actual fic.. so have a fluffy side of Bones and Kirk!**

 **1) Disclaimer - I do not own Star trek, never had, never will, sadly.**

 **2) I hope you liked this even if it had no plot XD**

 **3) This is just a one shot.. so please don't ask me to continue, because it happens a lot with guest reviews and I cannot respond. This is COMPLETE.**

 **4) Leave what you think below?**

 **5) A story with an _actual plot_ is coming (ouat) , but I started college and I'm busy, so bear with me please, I can't write everyday sadly. **

**Chrisii**


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